Dave O'Higgins Quartet

Performers

Featuring a mixture of jazz standards and originals in the straight ahead, swing tradition of late 50s and early 60s jazz (think Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Miles, Coltrane…), plus tracks from the latest CD, Got The Real Note (Jazzizit) with the Gascoyne/O’Higgins Quartet where the two leaders took equal responsibility to write and arrange a selection of ‘contrafacts’ (new tunes written to changes of favourite standards).

Dave is a popular and well-known figure on the international jazz scene, having recorded 13 albums as leader with various lineups. He cut his teeth with NYJO, Cleo Laine, Roadside Picnic and Mezzoforte and went on to work with Jim Mullen, Ray Charles, Martin Taylor, Itchy Fingers, Frank Sinatra, Salif Keita, Jimmy Smith, Joe Locke, Kyle Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Stan Tracey, Ronnie Scott’s Allstars, Matthew Herbert, Chico Chagas and the BBC Big Band to name only a few.

Dave has recorded two CDs with US sax legend, Eric Alexander. These are 2-tenors and piano trio in the hard-blowing, time-honoured tradition of Griff/Lockjaw, Stitt/Ammons and Hayes/Scott.

He also teaches saxophone, harmony and improvisation at the London Centre for Contemporary Music, benefitting swathes of up-and-coming young musicians with his experience!

Moscow Drug Club is a curious musical place where certain elements of 1930's Berlin Cabaret, Hot Club de France, Nuevo Tango & Gypsy Campfire meet, have a few to drink and stagger arm in arm into the...

Dave Green's first album was with Ben Webster. He has recorded subsequently with many of the great American musicians. Dave is a living legend of the British jazz scene. He has won the Top Bassist...

‘A stunning player in the neo-bop vein, with an apparently effortless flow of coherent ideas, beautiful time and a highly developed harmonic sense.’

— Jazz Guide

‘His professional presentation was an object lesson to the amateurishness of local players. His musicianship seemed boundless. Like his friend Martin Taylor did last year to our guitarists, Dave O’Higgins did to our sax players – gave them new and exciting challenges. And gave us mere listeners an exceptional night.’

— Adelaide Advertiser, Australia

‘O’Higgins plays with quite exceptional fluency and his fund of ideas never runs out.’

— The Observer

‘Dazzling post-bop tenorist with a magnificent range and a dramatic turn of phrase.’

— The Guardian

‘Oone of the most vigorously compelling tenor players on the UK scene, and on this wholly enjoyable, powerful album, he nods to the great saxophonists – Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Dexter Gordon chief among them – who so clearly influenced him, without unduly compromising his individuality; In the Zone is archetypal O’Higgins: unpretentious, accessible, no-nonsense acoustic jazz addressed with skillfully controlled energy.’